N.C. State Fair promises slew of attractions

RALEIGH - Drills and delivery trucks still are dominating the N.C. State Fairgrounds, but fair officials promise the capital city will be chock full of food, music, rides and competitions by opening day.

The North Carolina State Fair, sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture, will kick off at 8 a.m. Friday and will be open daily through Oct. 24.

"It's a whirlwind of activity going on at the fairgrounds this week," said Tiffany Budd, a promotions specialist with the Department of Agriculture. "Everything is coming along real well."

Budd said visitors to the fair will find a wide variety of attractions, ranging from conventional fair events such as livestock judging to performances by popular artists like Clay Aiken and Lonestar. "We have more grounds entertainment than ever before," she said.

Seasoned fair-goers might notice a few other improvements this year. A new company, Reithoffer Shows, was contracted to revamp and enlarge the midway, bringing in 110 rides - a dramatic increase from the usual 75 to 80.

Budd said fair officials are hoping good weather and attractions like these will bring in a substantial number of visitors. Fair attendance usually averages about 750,000, the record-holding year being 2000, with more than 850,000 visitors.

To accommodate these visitors, fair vendors have been setting up their stands, some since the beginning of the month.

Raleigh resident Hiram Lee is the proprietor of Lee's Concessions, a stand selling traditional fair fare such as candy apples, cotton candy and popcorn.

Lee said he has been involved with the fair for 40 years and enjoys coming back year after year to see old friends.

"It's like a sickness," he said, describing his affection for the fair. "You get it in, you can't get it out."

Other veteran vendors include Raleigh's Westover United Methodist Church, which has been selling hot dogs, hamburgers and barbecue sandwiches at the fair since the 1950s.

"When we started out, we were young," said 82-year-old Everette Jones, a retired railroad worker from Raleigh. "We started out with just a 12-by-12 army tent right after the war."

Traditions like these define the State Fair. The most notable tradition is the focus on agriculture, which is still the state's biggest industry.

Budd said there will be exhibits like Healthy Farms Healthy Families and Goodness Grows in North Carolina, which will promote crops grown in the state.

For younger visitors, the State Fair Ark will offer a chance to get a close look at every type of animal shown in competitions at the fair.

Open daily until midnight, the State Fair will give North Carolinians the opportunity to eat vast quantities of deep-fried food, whirl through the air on the midway rides and, ultimately, learn more about the state.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.